When it introduced the original Lumix S5, Panasonic acknowledged that many people want a smaller camera than its other S-series cameras like the Lumix S1 and S1R. Consequently, it’s the smallest, lightest full-frame Panasonic S-series camera. In fact it’s smaller than the Micro Four Thirds Panasonic GH5 II.
Panasonic hasn’t made the Lumix S5IIX or S5 quite as small as the original S5, but at 134.3×102.3×90.1mm and 740g (with memory card, hot shoe cover and battery) it’s still significantly smaller and lighter than cameras such as the Panasonic Lumix S1R and S1.
That increase in size and weight is most likely due to the new cooling system (complete with fan vents either side of the of the viewfinder) in the S5IIX and SII. This is claimed to enable unlimited recording for C4K 60p or lower resolution recording provided you have the power and storage capacity. Panasonic states that the camera may stop recording to protect itself from overheating if the resolution is higher than C4, the frame rate is set to higher than 60 or it’s recording in ProRes.
Like the original S5, the S5IIX is far from small and fiddly. It’s grip is reasonably chunky and it feels comfortable in the hand. It’s also good to know that the camera body frame is made from die-cast magnesium alloy and it’s sealed against dust and moisture ingress. However, it will be interesting to see how the fan vents cope with rain.
In a change from the S5II, the Panasonic S5IIX has grey lettering on it’s buttons and dials. This is very difficult to read in anything less than good light, but it forces you to get to grips with the camera’s control layout quickly. Once you build up the muscle memory, you’ll reach for the controls you want without looking at their markings – but it can mean a slow start for some.
Panasonic has stuck with the same control arrangement on the Lumix S5IIX and S5II as on the S5. This means that the exposure mode is set via the dial on the right of the top-plate and the dial on the left is used to set the drive mode. The exposure mode dial is also used to set the camera to video mode and its exposure mode is set via and option in the menu. It would be nice to have a video switch so that the exposure mode for video could be set more directly using the mode dial. That said, most experienced users are likely to put the camera into manual exposure mode for video and leave it there.
A switch to the right of the viewfinder allows the focus mode to be set to manual, continuous autofocus or single autofocus. At the centre of the switch there’s a button that gives a quick route to the focus point options along with Human Eye detection and Animal detection. It’s good to have quick access, especially if you’re switching frequently between capturing stills and video.
Screen and viewfinder
Panasonic hasn’t made any changes to the screen on the Lumix S5IIX in companion with the S5 or S5II, it has a 3-inch 1,840,000-dot vari-angle touchscreen. The vari-angle joint enables the screen to be flipped out to the side of the camera and angled up or down, or rotated to face forwards for vlogging and presenting to the camera.
The vari-angle hinge also means that the screen can be made clearly visible whether the camera is in portrait or landscape orientation.
While the microphone port sits above the top of the screen, the headphone, HDMI and USB-C ports do not, so they may be blocked when the screen is flipped out to the side of the camera. The chances are that if the HDMI port is in use, there’s an external recorder/monitor in use, so it’s unlikely that the screen will need to be flipped to the side. However, those wishing to record to an external SSD connected via the USB-C connection will find the screen’s movement is a little restricted. That said, the USB-C port as at the bottom of the array of ports so it can be used when the screen is angled up for below eye-level recording. Above eye-level recording is more problematic as the screen can’t be angled down while there’s a USB-C cable connected.
As you’d expect, the S5IIX’s screen preview matches the captured image/video well but as usual, it can be hard to see some details in bright conditions. This makes an external monitor with greater brightness and/or a hood an attractive option in some instances.
Like the S5II, the S5IIX has a 3.68-million-dot OLED viewfinder with a refresh rate of 60 or 120fps. That resolution is up from the 2,360,000-dot OLED electronic viewfinder in the original S5. The Panasonic S1R and S1 both have 5,760,00-dot viewfinders, but putting that in the S5IIX would push its price up.
The viewfinder gives a clearer view than the screen in bright conditions, but of course, it does’t have the convenience of being able to rotate and tilt it to the perfect angle.